This work is inspired by a Ngarranggarni (Dreaming) story about Goorlabal the Serpent.
In the Ngarranggarni, Goorlabal travelled from One Mile in search of water. He found water in the Springvale River. He rolled on his back in the water because he was over-heated. He turned into stone and is still there today.
Goorlabal protects the waterways near Warmun, and this work shows the waterways entwined with the vertebrae of Goorlabal.
This painting is about 3 in 1
1. The Bible is the word of God
2. The Cross is where Jesus suffered and died for our sins and rose again on the third day.
3. The Dove represents the Holy Spirit and Fire
This is a story from Bray’s uncle’s country, Purnululu (Bungle Bungles). Bray tells the story about the rock cod and the turtle: ‘The rock cod is a fish that stands in the water and camouflages itself. The turtle was making its way to Purnululu. The rock cod jumped out of the water and through a hill where it left a mark that you can see today. The turtle followed him.’ The mark left by the fish can be seen between the hilltops in Bray’s painting and the turtle is painted in the bottom left-hand corner.
This painting shows the country that Marietta’s mother comes from, Purnululu. It is also the country of her uncle, renowned Warmun artist Jack Britten. Purnululu ( The Bungle Bungles) is located 55 kms south west of the Warmun Community. It is a significant point of reference for many Gija people and has many sacred places located within its striped domes. Marietta paints this country using a strong sense of design and pattern.
Jarlaloo is Patrick’s country. It lies south of Warmun and north of Purnululu (Bungle Bungles). Patrick knows this country inside out, as he walked and mustered cattle all throughout this country with his father, George Mung Mung. Jarlaloo is the Gija name for the Ord River, where it runs into Stony Creek. There are a lot of doworrolji in this country – doworrolji are rocks heaped up into ridges.
